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POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



from the nuts or seeds of Jatropha Curcas (Nat. Ord. Eu- 

 phorbiacece) , a plant closely allied to the Croton^ so cele- 

 brated for its medicinal oil : it was first used in Lisbon by 

 the contractor for lighting the public streets^ who made it 

 from a quantity of the seeds brought from the Cape de 

 Y erd Islands. So useful was it found as an oil for burning, 

 that eventually it took the place of every other, and the 

 streets of that capital are now wholly lighted with seed oil, 

 a name given for the purpose of hiding its real origin. The 

 widow of the above-mentioned contractor now carries on a 

 large trade in this oil, and it has been found to answer in 

 this country for cloth-dressing, which, in consequence of 

 the irregular supply of olive oil, makes it a very valuable 

 acquisition. The only objection to its employment in the 

 factories is its highly drastic property, which renders its 

 use somewhat inconvenient amongst ignorant and careless 

 workpeople, who are apt to taste the oils they use while 

 working. 



The Jatropha seeds are about half an inch in length, of a 

 slightly flattened oval figure, of a dull brown, sometimes 

 almost black colour. Their first import into Liverpool, 

 under the name of Croton nuts, led to much mischief ; the 

 persons employed in the unlading, misled by the term nut, 



